
Lee Jae Po (65), a former actor and comedian, has been fined for defrauding an acquaintance of 20 million KRW (~14,500 USD).
On June 3rd KST, Judge Park Jong Woong of the Criminal Division 16 of the Incheon District Court sentenced Lee to pay a fine of 10 million KRW (7,250 USD) for fraud.
Lee was accused of deceiving an acquaintance, referred to as A, in November 2020 at a house in Ganghwa Island, Incheon, and taking 20 million KRW under false pretenses.
At the time, Lee claimed the money was needed to support his wife’s clothing store, but it was later revealed he used the funds for other purposes. He was also found to have substantial outstanding debt with financial institutions.
The court stated, “The nature and method of the crime show poor character. He committed this offense while still under a repeat offender status, without showing signs of remorse at the time.”
However, the court also noted, “Lee has acknowledged his wrongdoing. The victim’s family has since reached a settlement with Lee and does not wish to pursue punishment. Additionally, he has no prior record of similar offenses.”
Lee Jae Po began his career as a comedian after being selected in the 1983 MBC 'Comedy Contest', later appearing in dramas such as 'The Fourth Republic', 'Leopard of Kilimanjaro', 'Eunsil', and 'Rustic Period'. In 2006, he transitioned into journalism by joining a newspaper company.
SEE ALSO: SEVENTEEN wins with “THUNDER” + Electrifying performance on June 5th’s 'M! Countdown'!